Courtesy: History
Undoubtedly the most photographed bridge in the world and a marvel of modern engineering, the Golden Gate Bridge stands as an iconic structure connecting the city of San Francisco and Marin County, California. It spans almost two miles across the Golden Strait, where San Francisco Bay opens to meet the Pacific Ocean. Its monumental presence in the city, since it first opened in 1937, has welcomed people from all different walks of life. Below are 25 fun and interesting facts about the Golden Gate Bridge that no one probably told you about:
1. At the time of its opening in 1937, it was the longest and tallest suspension bridge in the world.
The Golden Gate Bridge is 1.7 miles long and 90 feet wide. The title of the longest suspension bridge now belongs to Japan’s Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge with a span of 6500 feet.
2. The bridge weighs a lot.
In 1937 when the bridge opened, it weighed along with the anchorages and approaches 894,500 tons. Later in 1986 after the re-decking, the total weight reduced to 887,900 tons.
3. The initial design proposal was rejected by the public.
In 1920, Michael O’Shaughnessy, the city’s engineer was assigned the responsibility of finding someone capable of constructing a bridge which many didn’t believe could be done at a reasonable cost. Joseph Strauss submitted plans for a symmetrical cantilever-suspension hybrid bridge design which was later rejected by the public and called ‘ugly’ by the press.
4. The final permit for the construction wasn’t issued until 1930.
Because the land on both sides of the Strait was owned by the War Department, it had to authorize the construction of the bridge. A temporary construction permit in 1924, but the final permit to start the construction was issued in 1930.
5. The project met a lot of oppositions and resistance.
According to reports, the Golden Gate Bridge had a total of 2300 lawsuits against it in 1930. A company that owned 51 percent of the ferry company that transported commuters and cars between San Francisco and Marin County felt that the bridge would impede their business and the natural beauty of the Strait.
6. The original hybrid design was tossed in favor of a more conventional design.
The New York’s Manhattan Bridge’s designers, George Swain, and Leon Moisseff were hired as consultants for the project. Under the leadership of Strauss, Moisseff submitted a plan that rejected the original design in favor of a conventional suspension bridge that was capable of moving more than two feet laterally to resist strong wind currents. The architect, Irving Morrow conceptualized the art deco style towers.
7. The construction finally began in 1933.
Finally, after years of setbacks and legal proceedings, construction commenced on January 5, 1993, with the excavation of a 3.25 million cubic feet area for the bridge’s 12-story-high anchorages.
8. The Groundbreaking ceremony was a big event that took place at Crissy Field in San Francisco.
According to the official program for the Ground Breaking ceremony that took place on February 26, 1933, there was a parade to Crissy Field. Then, after the speech from the President of the United States, there was a 21-gun salute followed by a bridge painting in the sky. Finally, the Mayor and bridge board President broke ground with a golden spade, ending the event with closing prayer.
9. The cables for the suspension bridge were spun on the construction site.
For the structure, the cables were strung horizontally between two massive concrete blocks, called anchorages, on either side. Then, additional vertical cables, called suspender ropes, connected the main cable to the bridge’s deck. The company that made cables for the Brooklyn Bridge was appointed to make cables right there on the construction site.
10. The company developed a method called parallel wire construction to spin the cables.
Strauss needed cables that would be strong enough to support the structure of the bridge and bend 27 feet laterally during strong wind currents. Though the spinning was tedious and time-consuming, it had to be performed in a precise sequence, in order to create the balance for the cables to withstand the wind pressure.
11. Joseph Strauss spent tons of money on a fatal-free and safe working condition.
To create a safe working environment for the workers, they were asked to wear glare-free goggles, use hand and face cream, go on special diets, and wear special hard hats. Strauss had also installed a safety net under the bridge to speed up the construction and give workers a sense of security.
12. Not red, not orange, but ‘International Orange’.
Irving Morrow, the consulting architect was inspired by the red primer of the steel beams found in the factories. He settled for ‘International Orange’ which according to him complements the natural surroundings, helps the structure to stand out against the sea and sky, and is also highly visible in fog.
13. Anyone and everyone can use the ‘International Orange’ color.
One can paint whatever they like in “International Orange’, with the color scheme or CMYK formula – Cyan: 0 percent, Magenta: 69 percent, Yellow: 100 percent, Black: 6 percent.
14. Different corrosion protection methods have been employed to maintain the paint on the bridge.
In the mid-1960s, there was an initiative to improve corrosion protection by removing the original paint and repainting with zinc silicate primer and vinyl topcoats. Since 1990, acrylic topcoats have been used with touch-ups wherever necessary.
15. ‘A Mighty Task Is Done’ says Joseph Strauss.
The project finally came to fruition after four years of construction, on April 19, 1937. The bridge opened on May 27, 1937, and was celebrated with a ‘Golden Gate Bridge Opening Fiesta Week’. Joseph Strauss, who was also a poet, dedicated a poem called ‘A Mighty Task Is Done’ as a tribute to everyone who helped in making this project a reality.
16. The fog horn is activated during thick fog for ship crews to see the bridge.
The fog horn is the bridge’s unique ringtone which is activated during foggy weather conditions to warn the ship crews. However, due to the sea spray, the equipment of the automated system which was used to turn on the fog horns got damaged.
17. The bridge is inspected every two years by a group of engineers.
Every two years, the bridge’s engineers conduct an inspection on every inch of the bridge to check for areas that need re-painting or other maintenance work. Once a work plan is ready, the painters start sandblasting the areas to be painted and the ironworkers rig up scaffolding to start the repairing work.
18. The ‘Cowboys of the sky’ perform the bridge rescues.
McVeigh and his fellow ironworkers—called the ‘Cowboys of the Sky,’ have the responsibility of talking and stopping people who try to jump off the bridge. However, the construction of a suicide deterrent system for the bridge started in 2018. The system uses a safety net to stop people from jumping off the bridge.
19. 800,000 people attended the bridge’s 50th-anniversary celebration.
The officials expected 50,000 people to attend the 50th-anniversary celebration on May 24, 1987; yet, instead, 800,000 people showed up for the event. Because suspension bridges are vulnerable to wind loads, the bridge was swaying from side to side due to the wind and heavy live load which led to panic, nausea, and claustrophobia amongst the crowds. All of which made it increasingly difficult to direct people away from the bridge.
20. “The whole bridge flattened out – its whole arch disappeared,” said Gary Giacomini, the president of the Bridge District Board.
The bridge deck was designed to move 15 feet vertically and 27 feet from side to side, and therefore there was no reason to fear.
21. The bridge has been closed to traffic only three times in the first 75 years due to weather conditions.
The longest closure in the Golden Gate’s history was on December 3, 1989, when wind currents reached 75 mph. Additionally, there have been full closures for anniversaries and construction work. There were also brief closures on two other separate occasions—the visits of dignitaries Franklin Roosevelt and Charles de Gaulle.
22. On February 22, 1985, the one billionth driver crossed the bridge.
Dr. Arthur Molinari, a dentist was the one billionth driver to cross the bridge for which he received a hard hat and a case of champagne.
23. Along with vehicular traffic, the bridge is also popular with pedestrians and bicyclists.
The bridge is open for vehicular traffic as well as pedestrians and bicyclists. To avoid any accidents, railings separate the walkways and the six-vehicle traffic lanes.
24. The bridge has featured in many Hollywood movies and documentaries.
The bridge has featured in many renowned films, like Dark Passage (1947), Vertigo (1958), Rise of the planet of the apes (2011), Pacific Rim (2013) to name a few.
25. It is one of the most internationally recognized bridges and an international symbol.
The bridge was named one of the seven civil engineering wonders in the United States by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1994.
